The present invention relates generally to seat cushion construction and the attachment thereof to an underlying seat frame, and more particularly, to a seat cushion having integrated structure for mounting the seat cushion directly to an underlying seat frame without the need for additional fasteners.
Aircraft passenger seat cushions typically include a combination of open cell foam for passenger comfort and closed cell foam for structural support and flotation. Conventional seat cushions, regardless of their construction and foam type, typically require fasteners for attaching the seat cushion to an underlying metal or composite seat pan or fabric diaphragm spanning the seat crossbars.
Referring to FIG. 5, a conventional aircraft seat cushion is shown generally at reference number 50, and includes a soft foam cushion 52 attached to the top of a hard flotation foam slab 54 using hook-and-loop fasteners 56. Referring to FIG. 6, the assembled seat cushion 50, which lacks its own integrated fastener, must be attached to the hard metal or plastic pan 58 fastened to the main seat crossbars 60. Alternatively, referring to FIG. 7, the seat cushion 50 may be attached to a thin, flexible diaphragm 62 stretched across the main seat crossbars 60. Regardless of the type of underlying member spanning the crossbars 60, the presence of such a member and conventional seat cushion construction require additional components and fasteners for attaching the cushion to the seat frame, thus increasing part count, assembly time, weight and cost.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved seat cushion construction that overcomes the disadvantages of prior art seat cushions and obviates the need for additional fasteners and manufacturing steps for attaching the seat cushion to an underlying frame.